


A Winter Veil Interlude

by Genuinelies



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Crack, Fairshaw, Fluff, Is this crack?, M/M, Warcraft is crack, Winter Veil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21839560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuinelies/pseuds/Genuinelies
Summary: “There’s snow in my crevices, mate,” Flynn grumbled, probably for the twentieth time since they’d landed in the Alterac Mountains. “Remind me again why I was chosen for this mission? It’s landbound. I’m a sailor. I do water. And while this is, in fact, an impressive amount of water, it’s all frozen. You can’t sail on snow, Matty.”----Shaw brings Fairwind on a Winter Veil adventure. A fluff piece for the holidays.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	A Winter Veil Interlude

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure I've actually written fluff before, but there's a first time for everything.
> 
> This is crack. Warcraft is crack, though, so it's probably okay. 
> 
> Happy holidays!

“There’s snow in my crevices, mate,” Flynn grumbled, probably for the twentieth time since they’d landed in the Alterac Mountains. “Remind me again why I was chosen for this mission? It’s landbound. I’m a _sailor._ I do _water._ And while this is, in fact, an impressive amount of water, it’s all _frozen._ You can’t sail on snow, Matty.”

“Don’t call me that,” Mathias said, but admittedly, it was only a token protest. Deep down in the cockles of his heart, the nickname warmed him.

 _He was an idiot._ Fairwind hated their adventure. He’d even complained about Ironforge being too hot. Ironforge, with its Winter Veil evergreens and lights and goblin vendors selling snacks and annoying toys, hadn’t even been enough to shut Fairwind up.

“You’re here as a representative of the Alliance,” Mathias said gruffly. “We have a hostile target in a cave to the west. Azerite might be involved.”

 _Might_ wasn’t a lie, after all. There _might_ be azerite up his ass. There wasn’t. But there _might_ be.

Flynn let out a hearty, long-suffering sigh. “When did I become the Alliance’s azerite expert?”

Mathias raised his eyebrow. The movement reminded him it was currently crusted over with snow, and irritably he dusted off his face.

Which of course just got the snow from his mittens all over his mustache.

“What do we pay you for if you’re not an expert on azerite by now?” Mathias sighed.

The chastisement was ruined by Flynn’s chuckle.

“You have a little something. Just there.” Flynn gestured to his entire face. “And my sunny personality, Matty. What else?”

Despite his best efforts to remain stoic, it coaxed a small smile from Mathias.

“I am aware,” he drawled.

He was brought up short by Flynn removing his glove to brush off Mathias’s face with his bare fingers. Their eyes caught for a moment. Mathias blinked, and cursed himself for a fool that he didn’t react in time to bat his hand away.

Flynn smirked at him, damn him.

He put his glove back on, and they crunched over the snowy mountain path for a few moments in silence. The sun was setting behind one of the peaks, the blue sky melting into a hazy pink sunset.

“You know who else is an azerite specialist,” Flynn said conversationally. “Our champions. You know, all those brave, insane blokes and lasses who actually go onto those Light-forsaken islands and collect the damned stuff while fighting off dragons and witches _and_ the blasted Horde? They come back laughing sometimes. They’re masochists. They’d probably love the snow. I could be on my nice, snug boat right now, and− _oop!_ ”

Flynn went down in a puff of snow, rolling down the mountain path. Mathias took a moment to assess his flailing limbs, alarmed, before deciding he was all right.

His mouth twitched. Flynn tumbled to a stop. A chortle bubbled up and released into a laugh.

Flynn propped himself up on his elbows, his mustache laden with white crystals. The smile was almost painful on Mathias’s face.

_When was the last time he’d laughed?_

“Oh, come on, mate!” Flynn protested. “You sadist. All those jokes I’ve made, and _this_ is what you find funny. My pain.”

“You look adorable.”

“What was that?” Flynn shot straight up. “Snow in my ears, Matty.”

 _Yes, what the hell was that?_ Mathias’s heart was pounding.

“You look adorable,” Mathias repeated, louder, making it dryly derisive.

Flynn, however, had gained a knowing smirk.

_Dammit. Too late._

“You’d…asked about the champions,” Mathias said quickly as Flynn struggled to right himself. “They’re already at our destination. You’ll− _mmph!_ ”

An impact, and then cold, wet ice was dripping down his collar. He tore off his mitten and dug it out with his fingers, cursing.

He’d hit him with a blasted _snowball._

Mathias narrowed his eyes, and put his mitten back on.

“You did not want to do that,” he stated flatly.

Flynn was guffawing so hard that he fell over again into the snow with a _whumpf._

Mathias judged the distance, took a running start, and tackled him. Flynn yelped, but Mathias had his arms pinned down with his thighs. Grabbing a huge handful of snow, he yanked Flynn’s collar down as he struggled and caterwauled and shoved it down his shirt.

Flynn shrieked, but he was laughing so hard he was crying.

“Should…should have seen your face…”

Mathias got up and stalked down the path away from him before Flynn could see his smile.

“We’re on a mission, Fairwind,” he said. “Be professional. It’s just over that ridge− _oof!_ ”

Mathias skidded, flailed his arms, and went down as Flynn collided with him. The damned man was like a bloody _nightsaber._ Damn the man! Mathias hadn’t even heard him coming. That was a dangerous prospect−either Mathias was slipping up, or Flynn was just that good. Mathias hoped it was the latter.

Groaning, Mathias shifted under Flynn’s substantial body weight, which was vibrating with mirth.

“Can’t you be professional?” Mathias griped. He spat snow out on the ground.

Flynn patted his head a couple times, then got to his feet and extended a hand. Mathias took it against his better judgment, but Flynn actually helped him up without further shenanigans.

“Who’d have thought the formidable Spymaster Shaw would allow some playtime in the snow?” Flynn drawled as Mathias brushed himself off. “I’m impressed, mate. Never thought I’d see the day you let your hair down a bit.”

“Who’d have thought you’d be enjoying yourself despite all that whining?” Mathias countered, then pointed to the upcoming cliff. “Go on. Take a look.”

Flynn gave him a questioning glance, but his stance turned serious. Creeping low, he went to the ridge and peeked over it.

Mathias trudged along behind him, less carefully. When he drew up beside him, Flynn’s eyes were wide on the scene below them. He straightened, his stance relaxing but his face melting into confusion.

“That’s a big monster, mate,” he whistled. “We really have to help them take that thing down? That’s a lot of people for the job.”

Flynn was squinting, as though trying to make sense of it all.

Down below, a group of hero-types were fighting an enormous, furred beast. Bizarrely, there were Winter Veil presents scattered everywhere, along with a tiny, terrified-looking reindeer who was being held captive.

Mathias sat down on the ledge and patted the snow beside him before taking out a canister. It was enchanted to keep the very boozy hot cocoa inside of it warm. He knocked it against Flynn’s thigh.

Flynn looked down at him and did a doubletake between Mathias and the fight happening below.

“As far as our agents and mages can tell, the whole area is under some sort of time flux,” Mathias explained with a sigh. “That creature and those presents and that reindeer show up, and keep showing up, for a couple weeks every year around Winter Veil. If I’m not busy, I come keep an eye on things. Make sure it doesn’t pose a real threat or get out of hand.”

Down below, a raucous cheer went up as the beast went down. A few of the adventurers freed the poor reindeer. There was some looting of presents, and then mage portals began popping up like daisies.

Flynn sat down heavily beside Mathias and took the cocoa from him. He took a long swig and wiped off his mouth with his arm before handing it back.

Down below, a lively snowball fight had broken out, and some idiot had brought revealing Winter Veil costumes to change into, which a few people did – stripping right there in the snow and popping on cutesy little outfits.

“It’s basically one long party for people who like to kill things,” Mathias said. “And protect the innocent, I guess. Or maybe it’s the presents.” He shrugged.

“Did you.” Flynn was frowning, a deep crease between his eyebrows. “Did you just take me on a holiday with you, Mathias?”

Mathias flushed, and took a long pull of his alcoholic chocolate.

“You…you couldn’t even ask me, could you?” Flynn sounded incredulous. “You had to pretend this was work.”

“It _is_ work,” Mathias said gruffly, but Flynn suddenly had a fistful of his collar and was pulling him forward roughly into a whiskery kiss.

Mathias struggled a moment without even knowing _why._ He wanted it. He wanted Flynn. And it _terrified_ him that his half-baked plan had worked.

Flynn’s tongue tasted like peppermint and chocolate and whisky.

Mathias relaxed, and his hands slowly came up to settle on Flynn’s waist as Flynn tugged at his lower lip with his teeth and then plundered his mouth again with his tongue.

“You’re not angry, then?” Mathias asked stiffly, when they pulled away at last for air. He couldn’t meet Flynn’s eyes.

“No, love. Not angry.”

Mathias’s head snapped up. Flynn was regarding him with a self-satisfied smile and a warm gaze.

“It was worth the trip.”

Mathias blew out a breath that showed in the air.

“Happy Winter Veil, Flynn.”

Flynn got an arm around him, and squeezed. Down below in the cave, the beast reappeared with an earsplitting roar.

“Happy Winter Veil, Matty.”


End file.
